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Red Bull driver Isack Hadjar says his next target is to be able to fight for a âreal podiumâ after what he described as a positive start to the season and improved consistency in recent rounds. Hadjar said: "It's good, but at the same time I would love to have a race where I can actually fight for a real podium, and that's the next target."
Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies says it is âdifficult to imagineâ the team will keep introducing upgrades at the same rate this season as it weighs up development of this yearâs car against next yearâs. Mekies said: "What is sure is that at some stage we need to make a call on the balance between this year and next year. As far as we are concerned, we have brought a huge amount of development to the car between race one and here, in order to try to correct as soon as possible the large deficit we had initially. It's probably difficult to imagine that we will continue that rhythm."
Lance Stroll says Aston Martinâs latest package at the Hungarian Grand Prix is âthe most encouraging upgradeâ the team has had for a long time, after it introduced 16 updates in Budapest. Stroll said: "It's the most encouraging upgrade we've had in a really, really long time, in the history of this team. We took a huge step this weekend. We're not in the front of the midfield, but in the mix. We know we need to find a lot of power and just keep finding performance. More downforce, more power. Have to keep pushing forward."
Toto Wolff says it is too early to call Kimi Antonelli the favourite for the 2026 Formula 1 driversâ title, despite the Mercedes driver holding a 50-point lead going into the summer break. Wolff said: "It's too early to say. I'm superstitious, even though the gap is 50 points, there are so many races to go, a DNF or two can just swing massively."
Aston Martin team principal and managing technical partner Adrian Newey says he is âpretty confidentâ Fernando Alonso will stay with the team next season, with the Spaniardâs current contract due to end at the end of 2026. Newey said: "I mean, obviously Fernando's an amazing driver, brings huge amounts to the team, both in his feedback and his ability. So for us, of course it's important, but pretty confident that Fernando is enjoying his time with us and that we will continue with our relationship."
Lando Norris says McLaren have not âgotten closeâ to the potential of its 2026 car despite taking their first win of the season in Hungary. Norris said: "We don't feel like we have fully clicked with our understanding of this car just yet. We know from the past few years what it is like when you do understand the car and what happens when we can maximise the package. We don't feel like we have gotten close to that potential yet, so we are excited to really try and understand it completely, which is when we'll be able to maximise things."
Max Verstappen says Red Bull have always supported him taking on projects outside Formula 1, which he feels helps him switch off. Verstappen said: "It's also important to be able to switch off from F1 to being a family man and doing other projects that I enjoy outside of F1. Of course Red Bull has always been very supportive of that."
Max Verstappen says Driversâ Championship leader Kimi Antonelli has been ârock solidâ in the first half of the 2026 Formula 1 season. Verstappen said: "I think, if you look at the front, Kimi has done a really good job. Really strong, really solid, being the strongest in the team. I think, if he just keeps it going - of course, he's also been very unlucky sometimes, so that's been, I guess, a bit of a shame - but as a 19-year-old, so far, I think he's been rock solid. So, that's really impressive to see as an outsider, I guess."
De facto Alpine team principal Flavio Briatore says an offer for Otro Capitalâs 24% stake in the team implies a valuation above $3bn. Briatore said: "No, no, we are more. We have an offer, we have an [offer] for the 24 per cent of Otro, the valuation [is] 3.2 [billion]... And we're working at this 3.5 [billion] valuation."
Alex Albon says he doubts Williamsâ planned upgrade for Baku will fix the carâs underlying weaknesses, with much of the teamâs work already focused on making sure next yearâs car does not have the same traits. Albon said: "If it's cured by Baku? I doubt it. I think a lot of the Baku stuff has happened. That upgrade was planned quite a long time ago. A lot of what we're really, unfortunately, biting into is next year's car. It's making sure next year's car doesn't have these traits - frustrating!"
Honda trackside manager and chief engineer Shintaro Orihara said the manufacturer only realised in January that its power unit performance and reliability âwould not be competitiveâ. Orihara said: "In January, we realised that our performance and reliability would not be competitive. When we started running in Barcelona, we realised that our performance was definitely poor compared to the other manufacturers. And also, we found some issues on the battery side."
Sergio Perez says Cadillac must rethink its development processes because its reliance on third parties is contributing to a lack of progress with the MAC-26, with the debutant team bottom of the standings and still without a point after 11 rounds. Perez said: "It is a little bit of inefficiency and obviously a lack of development because a lot of it is done through third parties, so we don't control much of it. So, there is a lot of work done behind the scenes to try to get on top of all of that. We don't have a clear process in place."
McLaren technical director for performance Mark Temple said the 2026 car is largely âa different flavour of the same thingâ from a chassis perspective, but that the new power unit is a much bigger step change. Temple said: "Broadly speaking, from the chassis side, we've still got four black, round tyres. They behave differently, so you have to learn how they are different, but it's a case of being a different flavour of the same thing. And that's true across most of the car. It's like you're used to eating ready salted crisps, and someone hands you something new like paprika, or smoky bacon. The power unit, though, that's the really big change. That's more like someone asks you to try corn tortilla chips."
McLaren technical director for performance Mark Temple says the team has created a new power unit performance group to help it get the most from its Mercedes power as a customer team under the new regulations. Temple said: "There are new roles. We have a power unit performance team now, which we didn't have before. They're focused on understanding how we get the most out of the power unit. They'll study track data and work with race engineering but also use our simulator and offline tools to maximise our performance. It's definitely a new set of skills, and a new way of working â because these are things we didn't really need to worry about before."
Sergio Perez says his return to Formula 1 has been âclose to 10â out of 10 after being happy with his performances since coming back to the grid with Cadillac. Perez said: "It's hard to put a number. Obviously, there are things that I could have done better. So I definitely wouldn't put a 10, but I think close to it. I've been very happy with my performances since I came back. I had some doubts on coming back to the sport."
Flavio Briatore says Formula 1 should stage a Sprint race at every grand prix weekend to give spectators "something more". Briatore said: "I believe we need to do the Sprint races. If it was me, every race, because we need to give something more to the spectator. We do nothing for the spectator, because Friday morning is only technical. You got two laps, you come back, and people are not here. With the Sprint race, at least you have two races, two starters, and the driver is driving for something."
Flavio Briatore says Formula 1âs biggest change is its perception, arguing it has become âthe place to beâ commercially as the sport attracts sponsors, younger fans and record crowds. Briatore said: "What has changed [in F1]? The perception of Formula 1; it's the place to be. Everyone sees the sponsors supporting Formula 1; the sponsors supporting the teams are changing. But now Formula 1 is the place to be. Every circuit we go to is a record [crowd]. Friday [at the Hungaroring] was full; 15 years ago it was not full at all, Friday."
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